Your GAA induction/indoctrination

[deiseach]

At what age did you go to your first GAA match ? 7
Who played in the match? Waterford and Armagh hurlers
Do you remember anything about it ? Waterford won by 7-11 to 0-3. The scoreboard operator put Waterford's first goal up as 10-02, leading to the wag to observe that that'd be the final score. He was right
Who were the main figures involved in introducing you to the GAA ? My brother
What was your first match in Croke Park ? 1998 All-Ireland hurling quarter final. Waterford 1-20 Galway 1-10
Who were the first GAA players you were aware of ? The Cork hurlers of the 1980's. Name the three best hurlers ever - Jimmy, Barry and Murphy
Is anyone else in your family as interested in GAA as you are ? My brother used to be heavily involved but not any more. My sister is probably the most interested
Did your indoctrination involve any bad-mouthing of soccer  or was it more ecumenical ? No bad-mouthing at all

[lynchbhoy]

At what age did you go to your first GAA match ? that I remember - 5. Was brought before that as a toddler, but cannot remember.

Who played in the match? Club game , My fathers old team mates Banagher v someone else.

Do you remember anything about it ? Found it odd that fellas were changing into their football gear in their cars beside the pitch - no clubhouse/dressing rooms then.

Who were the main figures involved in introducing you to the GAA ? My Father

What was your first match in Croke Park ? 1980 All-Ireland SFC semi final. Kerry 4-15 Offaly 4-10
Watched it again that night on the sunday game, mesmerised !

Who were the first GAA players you were aware of ? Bomber Liston, first GAA action I saw on Telly was clips of his goals v Dublin in AIF in late 70's broadcast on ITV's world of sports when living in england.

Is anyone else in your family as interested in GAA as you are ? Father and brothers. Mother is now v interested too- having not seen a football before she met my father.

Did your indoctrination involve any bad-mouthing of soccer  or was it more ecumenical ? No. All sports interested our family. Participation and watching.

[deiseach]

Must get my wife to answer this. Would be interesting to see the answers of someone who didn't even know that Gaelic games existed until they were 24!

[ziggysego]

At what age did you go to your first GAA match? 4
Who played in the match? Tyrone v Armagh
Do you remember anything about it ? The sandwiches
Who were the main figures involved in introducing you to the GAA ? My Dad (Plus a girl who had a thing for me, so I used to football as a excuse to get out of dodge city)
What was your first match in Croke Park ?  2003 1/4 Final. Croke Park was never that disabled friendly for me before that. (I was in England for the Sligo game in 2002)
Who were the first GAA players you were aware of ? Frank McGuigan, Peter Canavan, Fergal Logan, Chris Lawn and Finbar McConnell.
Is anyone else in your family as interested in GAA as you are ? My Dad, Oldest Brother, Youngest Brother, My Mum and Youngest Sister.
Did your indoctrination involve any bad-mouthing of soccer  or was it more ecumenical ? No bad-mouting about soccer in our house, just the GAA was "where it's at"

[T Fearon]

Amazing reading through this the number of games that other contributors' answers bring back to  mind. I well recall Monaghan V Kerry in 1979 (the feckers had knocked us out of Ulster in the semi final that year), and that was the day in Croke Park that Nudie Hughes first came to prominence, and he was at right full back! Also remember I'd trekked to Rome (a three day boat and train journey expedition, costing £90 return and 30 years later you'd get a budget flight for half the price!) in 1980 as a student, and coming home and stopping off in London overnight, my mate's future brother in law with whom we were staying, told us all about Matt Connor's performance in the All Ireland semi with Kerry the Sunday before (no internet or Irish papers even, in Rome to keep up to date in those days)!

[mayo 4 eva]

At what age did you go to your first GAA match ? Would have been 7/8.
Who played in the match? First I remember is Mayo vs Cork pitch opening Foxford '89.
Do you remember anything about it ? Mayo Won (I think) & The aul fella doin the line at it.
Who were the main figures involved in introducing you to the GAA ? Aul Fella.
What was your first match in Croke Park ?  92/93?? Nemo rangers vs Eire Og AI club final.
Who were the first GAA players you were aware of ? Liam McHale/Tj Kilgallon
Is anyone else in your family as interested in GAA as you are ? All of them.
Did your indoctrination involve any bad-mouthing of soccer  or was it more ecumenical ? Gaa was all we played and did in Mayo.

[Farrandeelin]

At what age did you go to your first GAA match? 7
Who was playing in the match? Mayo and Roscommon
Do you remember anything about it? Mayo won and I was fascinated by the scoreboard, there were 2 Rossies in front of us shouting 'go on kill him kill him' any time some Mayo player got the ball.
Who were the main figures involved in introducing you to the GAA? My dad. I salute you.
What was your first match in Croke Park? 1996 drawn final between Mayo and Meath
Who were the first GAA players you were aware of? Liam McHale and the Knockmore team that nearly did it in 1997
Is anyone else in your family as interested in GAA as you are? If my sister was home more she would have me harished to go to every game under the sun!
Did your indoctrination involve any bad-mouthing of soccer or was it more ecumenical? No, soccer is all we chat about once the GAA season is over.

[Bogball XV]

At what age did you go to your first GAA match ? Like others probably in the pram
Who played in the match?  local club and our bitter rivals
Do you remember anything about it ?  my da got a bad slap from an opponent
Who were the main figures involved in introducing you to the GAA ?  parents and extended family
What was your first match in Croke Park ?  1983 All Ireland Semi - Galway beat Donegal in seniors and Derry hammered Galway in the minors.
Who were the first GAA players you were aware of ?  Da and uncles etc etc
Is anyone else in your family as interested in GAA as you are ?  More or less, probably been surpassed at this stage!
Did your indoctrination involve any bad-mouthing of soccer  or was it more ecumenical ?  Never mentioned, my da never played soccer, but the uncles would have played locally too.

[5 Sams]

At what age did you go to your first GAA match ? I was 4 years of age and it was the 1968 Ulster Final in Casement Park.
Who played in the match? Down and Cavan
Do you remember anything about it ? Nothing about the match but I remember my Uncle getting me a poke!
Who were the main figures involved in introducing you to the GAA ? My Da...his claim to fame was that he played a few games with Sean O'Neill at the Abbey. He instilled the GAA into me and my brothers and sisters. We all grew up obsessed with the Red and Black and the ethos and pride we inherited from the 60/61 boys. Also a man called Pat Murtagh...Pat was a father figure for a lot of players in my era in our club. A legend in our club ...he played with O'Neill and Paddy Mo etc and he's back with our Minors this years after a few few years rest

What was your first match in Croke Park ?  1977 All Ireland Final. Our minors won and we had two club men playing and another on the bench. The senior final went to plan as well....

Who were the first GAA players you were aware of ? Colm McAlarney...boyhood hero..Down Superstar...as a 19 year old he didnt give Mick O'Connell a kick in 1968..I think thats a good enough pedigree. One other player was a guy called Cathal Digney....never won any All Ireland Medals but ask anyone from Down what sort of a player he was.
Is anyone else in your family as interested in GAA as you are ? Gach aon duine apart from my Ma.

Did your indoctrination involve any bad-mouthing of soccer  or was it more ecumenical ? Soccer was never a threat...it was a game you played on the street before you went to football training.

 

[Oraisteach]

At what age did you go to your first GAA match ? 7 (1962)
Who played in the match? Pearse Og and Carrickcruppin, I think
Do you remember anything about it ? Sneaking in under the fence/wall by the CBS, though there was probably no need to.
Who were the main figures involved in introducing you to the GAA ? My dad
What was your first match in Croke Park ?  Kilkenny vs Clare Oireachtas Hurling Final
Who were the first GAA players you were aware of ? Paddy Doherty, Joe Lennon, Sean O'Neill.  My dad was from the Point
Is anyone else in your family as interested in GAA as you are ? Everyone. My younger brother played county football for Armagh and London; my youngest played hurling for Armagh and Louth; and I hurled for Armagh
Did your indoctrination involve any bad-mouthing of soccer  or was it more ecumenical ? Not at all

[anglocelt39]

At what age did you go to your first GAA match ? I was 4 years of age and it was the 1968 Ulster Final in Casement Park.
Who played in the match? Down and Cavan


5 Sams, were you around for my indoctrination 12 months later, christ that was a good day, pity there have been few like it since.

[T Fearon]

I well remember Cathal Digney, getting sent off in Down's rout by Dublin in the AI semi Final in 1978 (so much for Down's invincibility in Croke Park ) and Mourne hooligans disgracing Ulster by throwimng bottles at the referee at half time

Also remember his brother Jarlath, my own late brother never gave him a kick in the Ulster Minor Final or replay in 1977. Christ if only John Corvan had put in ten minutes in either of those games, both Armagh minors and seniors would have been in the 1977 AI Finals

[ballela-angel]

At what age did you go to your first GAA match ? (not counting playing underage) The first one I remember I was 7 and the match was the 1959 Ulster Final. I was at ones before that but don't remember them
Who played in the match? Down beat Cavan
Do you remember anything about it ? yes, I remember the excitement of it all and how big and beautiful the Clones pitch was, and 10 years later when I got to play on it, I was shocked at how poor the surface was
Who were the main figures involved in introducing you to the GAA ? My parents were wild Down fans, yet my da was from Armagh!
What was your first match in Croke Park ? 1959 All-Ireland semi-final against Galway and they stuffed us
Who were the first GAA players you were aware of ? Eamon McKay, George Lavery, Leo Murphy, Pat Rice, Kevin Mussen, Dan McCartan, Kevin O'Neil, Jarleth Carey, Joe Lennon, Sean O'Neil, James McCartan, Paddy Mo, Tony Hadden, Patsy O'Hagan and Breen Morgan - That list is from memory from all those years ago without looking anything up, so you can see that they made a huge impact on me - Plus two were related to me and one of them was my next door neighbour
Is anyone else in your family as interested in GAA as you are ? All of the males
Did your indoctrination involve any bad-mouthing of soccer  or was it more ecumenical ? No need to bad mouth the soccer - Gaelic Football was the "beautiful game" long before soccer ever knew there was such a phrase!

[clarshack]

At what age did you go to your first GAA match ? 4
Who played in the match? Derrylaughan v Carrickmore - 1981 Tyrone County Final
Do you remember anything about it ? Not wanting to be there - hated everything football until 1984.
Who were the main figures involved in introducing you to the GAA ? My Father
What was your first match in Croke Park ? 1984 All-Ireland Semi-Final Tyrone v Dublin. Thats the day I started to love the GAA.
(I cant remember Frank McGuigans performance that day but i do remember him scoring 1-6 out of 1-7 against Armagh in his last game for Tyrone a few months later).
Who were the first GAA players you were aware of ? Frank McGuigan, Eugene McKenna, John Lynch.
Is anyone else in your family as interested in GAA as you are ? Pretty much everybody.
Did your indoctrination involve any bad-mouthing of soccer  or was it more ecumenical ? No bad-mouthing at all

[longrunsthefox]

At what age did you go to your first GAA match ? Maybe 6
Who played in the match? Don't know -was a college game that I was taken to and remember little about it.
Do you remember anything about it ? My Dad and his mate took me and the other man's son. Big crowd. 
Who were the main figures involved in introducing you to the GAA ? My Father and school.
What was your first match in Croke Park ? 1972 All-Ireland Semi-Final Offaly V Donegal. Went to see Tyrone minors... they went on to lose the final to Cork.
Who were the first GAA players you were aware of ? The late Brendan Dolan, Frank McGuigan, and Aidan McMahon of Tyrone, Sean O'Neill of Down, Tony McTeague-Offaly and Brian McEniff-Donegal. 
Is anyone else in your family as interested in GAA as you are ? My father and couple of brothers.
Did your indoctrination involve any bad-mouthing of soccer  or was it more ecumenical ? Yip-the old man bad mouthed soccer and then watched the big games on TV and shouted for Celtic